Jordyn's Army, page 35
It was a freak accident that no one could’ve expected or dodged. Lena and her dad were sitting at a red light when a piece of rebar from the construction site at the corner shot from a saw and right through the open passenger’s window.
No matter that it wasn’t her dad’s fault, his guilt was a living thing. It chewed away at him every day and she couldn’t stand it. If her dad wanted her to be happy and in love, then he would get happy and in love. Lena had already searched escort services online.
The men on those sites were unreal with Superman abs and Brad Pitt good looks, but she had to pick one. Tonight she’d make her final selection. Lena hoped she could find a “regular” guy so it would be convincing.
His clothes already occupied space in her closet, his sports memorabilia waiting to go up on her mantle—as soon as she peeled off the “Made In China” sticker—and his used toothbrush in the holder. Everything was in place, all she had to do was dial the number and give them her credit card. Why she’d put it off, she didn’t know, because they really needed the prep time if they were going to fool her father. Even her carefully prepared packet might not be enough if he wasn’t ready to study for his paycheck.
Lena was leaving nothing to chance, it was too important that she convince her father that she was fine and he hadn’t ruined her life. He was too important. The man raised her single-handedly after her mom walked out when Lena was still in diapers. Her dad made it through scraped knees, first heartbreak, and even her period without so much as a blink, but this was slowly killing him.
It’s killing me too, but I can accept that, he can’t.
As she tucked her roses into the crook of her arm to dial a ride, a small golden ball of fluff barreled into her. Her roses and phone hit the sidewalk with her crashing down on top of them. Noooo, those were Cindy’s last roses for the week.
Tears threatened to spring forth as the hopelessness of her life settled around her, but then the young golden retriever was in her lap, paws on her chest and enthusiastically licking her face.
Her worry about the roses and her dad’s visit melted away. Who could be concerned with other business while hearing the cutest little excited whimpering sounds and receiving sweet puppy kisses?
A strange sound startled Lena until she realized it was her . . . laughing.
Lena hadn’t really laughed since her accident, and it felt strange . . . good, but strange. Her hands had a will of their own and without her permission; they were buried in the blonde fur.
Lena remembered feeling this way—happy—all the time . . . before. She missed it. She also missed working with rescue dogs. Helping with training so they could find their forever homes.
Of course, no one needs me now. Deep down she knew they would take pity on her and probably let her volunteer, but she couldn’t bring herself to be around people for too long. What good was she if she could barely see, couldn’t laugh, and didn’t even appreciate the little things in life anymore?
Having always been a “glass half full” kind of gal, this life was no real life to her. But those were worries for another day. Right now she was lost in a mood she hadn’t felt in what seemed like forever. It was an escape from her crappy existence and she hoped to cling to it as long as possible.
Something about puppy kisses and tail wags made the world of worries disappear. The center of happiness and healing truly was a wagging tail and a wet nose.
Ruffling the puppy’s fur had Lena giggling like a child. “Oh my goodness, such a sweet boy, aren’t you? Yes, you are, oh yes—”
An admonishing but silky deep voice broke the spell. “Bad girl, bad girl. You can’t just go . . .”
Lena tuned out the annoying but intriguing voice. “I’m sorry, girl, you’re not a boy at all, anyone can see that, right?” Lena leaned into the soft fuzzy ear and buried her face in silk. “And you’re not a bad anything and don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.”
Lena loved that she could tell it was a dog and it was a golden retriever, but she hated she couldn’t admire her gorgeous doggy face and study it. Was her nose all pink with no gray? Was her fur highlighted blond or did it cast a touch of red? These were things she missed, fine details. She squinted her good eye and could tell the nose was pink, but the highlights in the fur were beyond her ability to discern.
Casting her vision upward toward the voice wasn’t much better. It was clearly a man, a well-formed one judging from the shape backlit in the late morning sunshine. His shirt was light, pants dark and hair . . . yes? From ten feet she had nothing more to go on, but she really didn’t care, the golden girl, well, that was a different story.
Squinting as hard as she could she brought the perfect nose to her own and studied the dog in her arms. There was a spot of gray on her nose, her eyes a glowing amber color and her fur reflected the sun.
Definitely light blonde highlights. One mediocre eye was better than none, she reminded herself. That is until I have to look at my scars in the mirror. It was those times she wished she had no vision.
The man was still scolding the poor girl as she got to her feet and turned to retrieve her phone and roses.
“Allow me, I’m so sorry.” The man with the voice bent to retrieve her items a split second before she did. Lena tried to abort the mission, but he was swift and knocked her in the shoulder as he raised his head. For the second time in a matter of minutes, she ended up on her ass.
“Oh, sh—. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean . . .” Trailing off, he turned to the dog who was sitting at Lena’s side like she was hers. “You. This is all your fault, you're a very bad dog.”
Although there was no real heat in the man’s voice, she hated the dog being blamed. As she rose, she muttered her disagreement, “There are no bad dogs, just untrained owners.”
“Excuse me?” The man seemed shocked she had a voice.
After dusting herself off and taking the offered crushed roses she repeated herself, “I said, there are no bad dogs, just untrained owners. It’s not this lovely girl’s fault that you’re untrained. So I would appreciate it if you’d stop blaming her for your shortcomings and maybe learn how to be a better guardian.”
The man stopped dead in his tracks. Lena couldn’t see his face, but she was confident he was sporting a how dare she look. People—men in particular—hated to be corrected, especially by a handicapped woman.
“Well.” His voice had lowered to that of someone who knew he was wrong. “Here’s the rest of your stuff, sorry about that. I’ll replace the flowers and pay for your cell phone repair. I should have kept a tighter hold on her.”
Her destroyed roses were in one hand and what felt like a shattered screen cell phone, was shoved into her other hand. Sure he offered to pay, but the roses were a loss until next week when more arrived. One of the many drawbacks of a small town.
“Both are a loss. These are the last roses in Casterton, and I will have to send my phone in for a warranty repair. It’s not one you can pick up anywhere. I mean, hello.” She indicated her face. She hated drawing attention to her scars and shortcomings, but she was frustrated. “I will happily send you the bill if you give me your address, just enter . . .” Lena trailed off when she realized she was completely lost without her phone.
At least she had her laptop at home and could email her dad.
2
Rue
“Yes, of course, I’ll pay for everything. You must be Lena and I’m Deveroux Parker, my friends call me Rue or Dev.” Her whole-body language stiffened at his pronouncement. Oops, that was a mistake, maybe I should’ve let her introduce herself.
Even having recognized her as the weather girl from Wilton who’d had that horrific accident, Lena’s beauty caught him off guard. An eye patch and scars didn’t mask it one bit. She seemed to have an air about her that just glowed. It was obvious she didn’t see it with the way she turned away and shook her hair down over her face as a curtain to shield her from curious eyes.
“Of course, everyone knows the blind-ish girl in town.” Her voice was pitched so low he pretended not to hear. When she spoke next, her spine was stiff and her gaze although jumpy was piercing.
“Yes, I’m Lena. Devroo? That’s unusual, I’ve never heard it before.” Rue was lost watching her mouth move. He felt as if he could almost see the letters perched on her pink lips. He was sure she had heard it before, just spelled and pronounced Deverow instead. Rue had no desire to go into the lengthy explanation about how his parents hated that pronunciation and thought everyone else on the planet pronounced and spelled it incorrectly.
Although talking to her wouldn’t be a hardship. She seemed intelligent and engaging, even though she appeared to be trying hard to disengage.
“Yeah, my parents danced to the beat of their own drum. Listen—” A bark cut him off and his yet to be named dog bolted. “Ohh, she’s on the move again.” Rue dove for her leash and caught it by the fingertips and was yanked forward. Apparently Lena saw enough to know he was face down on the sidewalk and devolved into fits of laughter.
He turned, not surrendering the leash and leaned an arm on his upturned knee. The puppy was still tugging, wanting to go down the street. “So, you think this is funny, do you?”
“As a matter of fact, yes. Sort of a poetic justice, although you didn’t crush flowers or electronics, so I think you’re good. What’s her name?”
“She doesn’t have one yet.”
“Seriously?” Lena sounded indignant. She leaned over to set her purse and damaged goods on the sidewalk. “That is so sad. Every dog should have her own name. What do you call her when you want her to come?”
“Honestly?” He rose and dusted himself off. “Whatever comes out. Sometimes it’s ‘hey you’ or ‘girl’ but mostly just ‘dog.’”
She tsked and gave him a look meant to shame, he found it all oddly sexy instead. Lena bent down and beckoned his dog forward with a soothing but commanding voice. “Come, girl.”
To Rue’s surprise, she did just that. Trotted right over and sat down at her ankles, looking up at Lena as if waiting for her next command. Then, she dropped her muzzle and picked up the crushed roses.
His dog looked downright comical with the floppy roses in her mouth as she kept looking between the two of them with her big puppy eyes.
Rue thought he would likely sit at Lena’s feet too if she’d rub on and coo at him that way.
“Wow, you really have a way with dogs. I’ve had her for almost a month and she’s never listened to a word I’ve said.”
The way his statement puffed her up was unsettling, but in a good way. It was obvious she didn’t enjoy many moments where she felt that way.
“Like I said, it’s about training the people more than dogs.”
Lena had more to say, it was obvious, but Rue didn’t give her the chance. “Can I hire you? I mean, she needs training, and I am so not the man for the job. But you, you obviously have a talent for this and well . . .” Rue was babbling, he didn’t want to mess this up. “I don’t want her to bolt and end up in traffic next time. What do you say? I can pay you well for it and we’d both be forever grateful.”
Rue watched as every denial possible marched across her face. Lena was searching hard for a reason to say no, but it was obvious she couldn’t say no to animals. She had a good heart.
That thought twisted his guts a little, thinking how many people must try to take advantage of her, but he shook it off and plastered his best, non-threatening smile on his face and begged her with his eyes. People had always said they couldn’t resist his melted chocolate eyes and boy-next-door charm. But then it hit him, she couldn’t see any of that clearly. If she said yes, it was all based on his words and whatever he managed to convey with them. It came down to his personality and that was terrifying.
The exact moment Lena decided to say yes was clear in her almost lavender colored, unfocused eye. Something sparked there and her face changed, relaxed maybe? Rue wasn’t sure but he somehow knew he was in trouble. This was a speeding car heading off a cliff but he was helpless to pump the brakes.
She was absolutely nothing like he expected, yet everything he’d subconsciously hoped for. Lena wasn’t some poor helpless woman, as most might think at first glance. No, she was sharp and intelligent and didn’t look like she’d accept pity help from anyone . . . ever.
“I am of a mind to accept your offer, but wish to discuss an alternate form of payment. Is that something you’d like to hear?”
Oh crap. Rue could see the wheels turning in the gleam of her eye. It was as if she’d solved some great mystery of the universe. He thought to win the beautiful lady over and maybe become close friends, if not more, but it seemed she had snared him in a trap she’d set on the fly.
An unexpected gust came from the west and blew her forward and into his arms. Without contemplation, Rue buried his nose in her fiery red hair and inhaled. If peacefulness had a smell, it was Lena. Rue couldn’t identify a single component of the scent individually, but together, it was peace.
Lena in his arms felt right, but before he could think on it too much, she righted herself and thanked him for the save, returning to her business-like persona. “Are you amiable to an alternate form of payment?”
“Depends. Would you like to step into Carol’s for a bite and discuss it?”
She bobbed her head in agreement, bent to feel for the dog’s lead and clicked her tongue. “Come, pretty girl.” Damned if the puppy didn’t trot along beside Lena like they were best friends. Rue stepped up to her other side and looped his arm in Lena’s.
“I appreciate your help, but I’m not completely helpless, I can see with my one eye. Not great, but enough to navigate an area I am familiar with . . . for now.”
The way she said appreciate conveyed anything but appreciation, but in truth, he wanted to touch her. “I had a pretty good idea you could see me with the looks you threw my way. But I’m just being gentlemanly, as I would with anyone. It has zero to do with your sight and everything to do with my mother. She would be mortified if I didn’t escort my lunch companion properly.”
The laugh they shared felt easy and light. A feeling Rue hadn’t experienced since he lost the biggest client his company had. And if he couldn’t snag a new one, the company he built from the ground up would sink like the Titanic.
All those thoughts seemed to melt away with Lena around. Before thinking, he allowed his mouth to move. “Besides, who’s to say I didn’t just want to enter with an exquisite woman on my arm?”
Rue didn’t like the change in her posture. Her entire demeanor morphed as they opened the door to the diner and found a seat. She obviously didn’t take compliments. Rue decided right then to change that.
He was not a love a first sight kind of guy, but he could definitely see himself falling fast and hard for someone like her if they spent time together. Rue figured he could easily be smitten within a week.
Also, this wasn’t exactly his first sight of her. Like some creepy stalker, he saw her the day she arrived in town and once a week since. Accidental at first, on purpose later.
His Tuesday bank run was late one week and that was the first time he saw her leaving Cindy’s with wildflowers. After that, he may have started being late on purpose. And each time he had every intention of approaching her and asking her out, but days came and went but he still hadn’t gotten the nerve.
Rue’s confidence took a serious hit when his ex-girlfriend had targeted his clients. She’d not only devastated him on a professional level, she stripped all traces of manhood from him in a vindictive personal rampage because he dared to break up with her when he realized they were not on the same path.
Rue wanted to be married with kids and a mortgage one day, his ex didn’t want a family at all. She was perfectly happy with their relationship as it was, but Rue wanted so much more out of life.
So instead of speaking to the beautiful new woman in town, he found something else in need of doing instead of approaching her every single time. He looked down at the relaxed blonde mound of fur lying on the tile by Lena’s seat and said a silent thank you. If not for his dog, he still wouldn’t have talked to her. Someone is getting a new chew toy and wet food for dinner.
The waitress delivered their coffees. Rue was so lost in his own head he didn’t remember ordering a drink. He watched Lena add cream and sugar to hers, then slowly raise the cup. Once she returned it to the table, she spoke.
“Rue,” God, I love the way that sounds falling from her lips. “Would you mind telling me if there are other diners? I don’t hear any and don’t believe I passed any on the way in.”
After a cursory look, he confirmed her suspicions.
“Good, and where are Carol and Don? In the kitchen?”
After leaning forward to peer through the tiny round window on the swinging doors, Rue answered, “Actually, they’re out the back door smoking. It may be a bit before she comes back for our lunch order.” He returned his attention to the coffee and sipped it gingerly.
“Perfect. I would like you to be my boyfriend.”
A stream of hot coffee shot from his nose, leaving dragon fire in its wake. “Excuse me?” His voice was unintentionally harsh. Rue was a man who went for what he wanted…most of the time, and he wanted Lena, but holy hell, that was wholly unexpected.
Hell yes was parked on his tongue about to launch from his mouth when Lena’s words halted it.
“Oh crap, sorry. That came out all wrong, I didn’t mean to terrify you. I meant pretend boyfriend, but it was stupid anyway. Just forget it.” Lena gathered her belongings, broken and otherwise, dropped some money on the table and shuffled past the whimpering dog guarding her feet to exit her seat. “Don’t worry about replacing my items, I think we’re even. Your mortification is more than enough payment for what this beautiful girl did by accident.”
